Syrah

A friend brought this back from his vacation to Australia.  My first time trying this producer.  It is very distinct but comes off more Cote Rotie than what I think of when I think Aussie Shiraz.  And, for that matter, why isn't it labelled Shiraz?  The label calls it Syrah.  In any event, an excellent wine if still young.  Purple in color with a thin ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, boysenberries, char, roasted meats and herbs, and slight black olive.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is dense but its easy to see to quality.  Tasted over a couple

From Magnum and consumed over 3 days.  It was great on all three but probably at its best on day 2.  This is a blend of 68% Syrah and 32% Mourvedre  at 15.1% abv.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, slight plums, spice and a hint of old leather.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, black raspberries with a lush texture.  Some char and spice.  Long finish.  This drinks easy and despite the alcohol and fruit forwardness, it is not a monster wine.  Nice depth and complexity.  Nice on its own, this would work well with roasted meats but worked very we

Pop and pour, this took a few minutes to open, then just kept getting better.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great; earthy with black cherries, some black raspberries, smoke and black olives.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is tight but unwinds in the glass.  Layers of black raspberries, black pepper, black olives and char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is not a big wine, but has all the stuffing.  It still will improve a bit more.  Drink over the next twelve to fifteen years.  A nice match for a lamb or beef stew.  

Opened this on night one.  It was drinking ok, but tight.  Recorked, on the counter and reopened the following evening.  Much better.  This is 97 to 100% Syrah with the balance, Viognier.  While perhaps a "weaker" vintage and more accessible than most, this is a killer wine.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose has black raspberries, maybe some boysenberries (its a fine line), along with black pepper, black olives and slight floral notes.  In the glass, an earthy note comes out.  Great texture.  Luxurious but energetic at the same time.  On the palate, black raspbe

This is a blend of Malbec, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon organic grapes.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, plum, slight weedy notes and clay.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this has black cherry fruit.  Simple and easy drinking but a nice value.  Great choice for a party.  This works well on its own and would be nice with a burger or chicken off the grill.  Drink over the next few years.  

This offers nicely balanced red fruit with minimal oak, solid acidity and decent tannic structure. Not an easy thing to find in a Merlot, and a Merlot at this price. Black cherry, black berry, huckleberry, red currant, light cedar and vanilla notes dominate and this is a very comprehensive wine. Mainly Merlot, there are small percentages of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Malbec. It was aged for 14 months in French oak, only 40% of which was new, hence the light wood touch. What this ultimately offers is a robust Merlot that is well worth the price.

This is made from 100% Syrah in the Northern Rhone.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice if a bit reticent at first.  Boysenberries with slight sandalwood and a bit of floral qualities and char.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is understated but quite good.  Boysenberries with some char and spice.  Deep.  Good balance.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own and better with hearty food.  It went well with Roasted Peppers and Root Vegetables.  Drink over the next eight to twelve years. 

This is a blend of 67% Syrah, 21% Grenache, and 12% Terret Noir.  Purple/ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, black raspberries, black licorice, spice and smoke.  Medium to full bodied.  Well balanced.  On the palate, this drinks very easy.  Black cherries and black raspberries with a bit of black licorice and pepper.  Nice finish.  An interesting wine but also an enjoyable one.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  This is nice on its own and will work well with food.  A nice choice for a burger or meatloaf.  

This is in a great spot at age 17.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, slight gamey meat, and a bit of raspberries.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is deep with some complexity.  Black raspberry fruit with some black pepper and a hint of meatiness.  Nice finish.  This seems to be about at peak but should go another five to eight years at this level.  It drinks nicely on its own and will work well with roasted veggies, fowl or meats.  

An almost shy wine, this flagship red from Donnafugata does not announce itself with overt fruit. The wine needs some time to coax out the subtle flavors and the tight tannins at the outset tell you to wait a while before it opens up. When it does plum, muted strawberry, pomegranate, baked cherry and rose water dominate the opening. Comprised of Nero d’Avola, Petit Verdot, and Syrah, the tannins and acidity support the judicious use of oak. Aged 14 months in small French oak barrels it then spent 20 months in bottle rest. The result is a lovely wine that will work with a variety of foods.